Praxis SLP Licensure Exam

If a child demonstrates significant amounts of homonymy in speech, which intervention approach is most beneficial?

1. Integral stimulation

2. Maximal contrast approach

3. Traditional approach

4. Minimal pairs approach

The correct answer is: Minimal pairs approach

When a child displays significant homonymy in their speech, it indicates that they are producing words that sound the same but have different meanings, which can lead to misunderstandings. The minimal pairs approach is most beneficial in this scenario. This intervention strategy focuses on contrasting pairs of words that differ by only one phoneme, which helps the child to perceive and produce the distinct sounds accurately. By using minimal pairs, the clinician can emphasize the differences between sounds that cause homonymy. For instance, the clinician might use pairs like "bat" and "pat" to help the child understand the importance of articulating the initial sounds distinctly. This method not only aids in sound production but also enhances the child's ability to discern and differentiate between similar-sounding words, which is crucial for effective communication. Other approaches, while useful in different contexts, do not specifically target the issue of homonymy as directly as the minimal pairs approach does. Integral stimulation, for example, is aimed at building motor planning for speech sounds, and the maximal contrast approach is designed for children with more severe speech issues by contrasting multiple phonemic differences. The traditional approach generally incorporates a broader range of techniques but lacks the focused contrast necessary for addressing homonymy specifically.